One of the things I missed about the catalog was thumbing through it, making notes, highlighting, etc. I called my local UPS store and they will print it out for me for about $12 out the door. FWIW. (Would have cost me more in gas to drive up to work and secretly do there.)

One of the things I missed about the catalog was thumbing through it, making notes, highlighting, etc. I called my local UPS store and they will print it out for me for about $12 out the door. FWIW. (Would have cost me more in gas to drive up to work and secretly do there.)

doing my homework now, are they not posting the number of applicants that applied anymore? or did i just miss it somewhere?
im sure im just buying preference points this year but i honestly enjoy looking at all the number, applying and dreaming until the draw

They were on there last week when I browsed the catalog but are gone now. I can tell you one thing. If you want to get excited about drawing be glad they are gone. Because the odds were astronomically low.

They were on there last week when I browsed the catalog but are gone now. I can tell you one thing. If you want to get excited about drawing be glad they are gone. Because the odds were astronomically low.

Yup. I noticed 2600+ applied for 60 permits at Brazos Bend. I was like, "Good Lord you'd think it was the freakin' Chap for all this mess."

Yup. Most of them were like that. I'll put in for a few but I'm done with most of the draws.

I hate to say it but I'm not even going to waste my money. I've got enough places to hunt as it is (not a bad problem to have so I'm not complaining). I just hope they fix this whole thing (whatever that entails) before too many more years go by.

This will be my first year applying for draws in Texas. I'm seeing a lot of high # of applicants and low # of permits. Has anyone had any consistent success with the draws? Or is this deer tags w sheep draw odds.

This will be my first year applying for draws in Texas. I'm seeing a lot of high # of applicants and low # of permits. Has anyone had any consistent success with the draws? Or is this deer tags w sheep draw odds.

This will be my first year applying for draws in Texas. I'm seeing a lot of high # of applicants and low # of permits. Has anyone had any consistent success with the draws? Or is this deer tags w sheep draw odds.

I hate to say it but I'm not even going to waste my money. I've got enough places to hunt as it is (not a bad problem to have so I'm not complaining). I just hope they fix this whole thing (whatever that entails) before too many more years go by.

Thanks, now if you could talk a few thousand of your buddies into the same I'd be doing some good....

If you apply for a lot of categories, is it reasonable to expect 1 hunt per year? Or maybe every few years?

I apply for every category, I think it took me 3-4 years to get drawn the first time. Some people get drawn first time some have over 10 years with no luck I'm definitely no expert but I think every 3-4 years would be average

I wish they would allow you to just purchase the preference point for each category for that year (maybe raise the price $2-3 also). That would really cut down on the number of applicants in the draw pool and lessen the chance of no shows.

Also, why are almost none of the hunts I want on the weekends. Its not easy for a lot of people to take off a week of work for a chance to shoot a little 80lb state park deer

It doesn't have to be a state park, but I mean there are WMA's have people checking in duck hunters every weekend. I'm just saying it would be nice to overlap the weekend since there are only a handful of hunts a year.

Can someone explain to me the benefits or reasons to or not to apply as a group? I'd like to get drawn with my buddies so we could go together but does it decrease your odds of getting drawn applying that way?

Can someone explain to me the benefits or reasons to or not to apply as a group? I'd like to get drawn with my buddies so we could go together but does it decrease your odds of getting drawn applying that way?

Not sure about the odds, but I believe you cannot be on more than one app. So if you list your buddy under a hunt category, he cannot apply for the same hunt as a solo. I know someone who was kicked out of the pool for doing that on an alligator hunt. Tried double dipping and they got a call from TPWD

Also, why are almost none of the hunts I want on the weekends. Its not easy for a lot of people to take off a week of work for a chance to shoot a little 80lb state park deer

Just about every hunt has always been during the week, except for the youth hunts.
This is what gets me. People put in for hunts already knowing they wouldn't be able to make if drawn. Guess that's the reason for the 2nd drawing!!!

It doesn't have to be a state park, but I mean there are WMA's have people checking in duck hunters every weekend. I'm just saying it would be nice to overlap the weekend since there are only a handful of hunts a year.

I don't disagree with you at all. I was just stating the reasons that the hunts are during the week. I'd much prefer to have them include weekends too.

My kids have several points as do I. I am considering trying a new strategy this year where we all put in on Hunt separately to increase the odds of at least someone getting to go. As I have stated before the new system sucks in my opinion. When I apply for Wyoming hunts for example I cannot put in for every hunt in every antelope Unit. I have to pick my top three choices . Many hunts in the Texas draw system now have into the thousands of applicants for very few permits.

After several years with zero luck on the draws, I have decided to take my money elsewhere. CO over the counter. Success odds are lower for the OTC hunts, but at least the opportunity is there. 100's of dollars, and multiple seasons have been lost trying to draw a "high odd's" archery doe permit's in Texas (while also trying to the harder draws).

Something needs to change with the current system.

OTC hunts in Colorado may have lower success odds but a lot of that comes from lazy hunting. if you do your homework and get away from the easy to get to spots, the success results go up. I've hunted OTC in unit 80 3 times and killed 2 bulls on public land. They're there but not many close to the roads.

I've been reading some of these post and I'm just wondering what the chances are of getting drawn the first year putting in? I didn't really apply for in any of the WT, mostly the exotic ones. What are the chances that I will get drawn on the first year?

that would be pretty cool to get drawn that early, I applied for 8 total so maybe it will happen early

I wouldn't hold my breath hoping for one. But first time applicants draw all the time. And then some people have never been drawn that have put in since the beginning. New system makes it worse, but there's always a chance.

filled out all my applications last night, went for more than i have any other year...hopefully i'll get selected for some type of exotic or mule deer hunt this year.

Does anyone have an answer to what happens if you get drawn and are unable to attend? do you decline the hunt and keep your points or do you start at zero and miss the hunt (in the event of getting drawn for 2 hunts at the same time in 2 different locations)